New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-25
TILE HIGH LICENSE ELL.

The High License bill introduced to the AS
scmbly at Albany by Mr. Ernest II. Orosoy =,
practical, and in the main, wcil-cohsioe'v :.
measure. 1t provides for six classes Oh IL
censes. ranging between 81 900 Tor inc orui-
nary saloon and 80 for drug-stores. Inc gen
eral principle Of imposing the heaviest TAX upon
tbo most mischievous machinery for the sale
of liouors is adhered to, the license for selling
malt beverages being but half the amount OF
the liouor license But at this point there Is
We T., ak. room for some modification. The
argument upon which such measures as this
are justified is. that since it is not pracucaoie
to enforce prohibitory laws in great cities the
one wise and statesmanlikc course Is to reg
ulatc and restrain the traffic, and do whatever
Is feasible toward diycrting the public taste
from the more harmful to the least harmful
drinks. Whatever tends to lessen the con-
sumption Of spirits is bcneliccnt. Now expert
ence shows that the more beer Is consumed inc
less whiskey is used, and the change from alco-
holic TO malt beverages is in the direct interest
of temperance.
But if high license as practical policy rests
ON the imp0ssblity of enforcing more drasuc
measures, it is evident that high license Itself
requires to be applied as a reguative and not
as a prohibitory law for otherwise it will en-
counter the evasion and defiance which have al
WAYS been the fate of prohibitvc statutes IN
large cities If this reasoning is sound, II 1ol-
lows that tie license upon the sale OF mat
liquors should DO proportiona'ely low, and MT
Crosby's bill we think, errs in putting the ra'e
too high OF course, the question is not at all
of what the friends of temperance would Ike
if they could have their way. The mere desire
to have tho whole community not only tenn
perate but abstinent never yet solved the prop
lem 1t may be chcerfully granted that IL would
be much better for everybody II the love OF
drink could DO eradicatcd altogether. But II
cannot be. 1t Is an appetite which we all know
can only be overcome by degrees, and by pa
tent educational processes. The state can
help on the reform by imposing heavy tax
upon the most dangerous class Of saloons. "A
high tax bill, in fact, would in our judgment
be preferable to high license bill) BY so
doing it can restrict the number of whiskey-
shops, and wipe out the worst kind Of grog-
geries completely. And this kind of action has
an immediate and salutary effect upon the
whole question, since it diminishes temptation
for those least able to withstand 1T
The tax upon the retail sale Of spirits can
perhaps hardly be made too high. The case Is
one in which the community is justified in dis
eliminating against particular interest. 1t Is
justified by the fact that the business in qucs-
ton is against public policy, immoral and de-
structive in its consequences, and only to be
tolerated pending the evolution OF more en-
lightencd public opinion Short OF prohibition
the tax on the retailing of spirits can hardly
he put too high, and considering the alarming
increase Of the saloons in this city Of late, and
in most great cities, the point Is the more
urgent Mr.. Crosbys bill, with the changes
hero suggested, promises well. 1t can no doubt
be enforced if the executive officers do their
duty If they cannot be trusted, no statute Will
be of any avail. Public opinion in New-York
however, approves the principle of high license
and the Legislature should understand that such
measure as Mr. Crosby has introduced Is very
seriously demanded. The temperance sentiment
of New-Yoril must not be floutcd, and cannot
bc dcfed. High license, moreover, Is indorscd
by many thousands who do not 90 the length
of prohibition. and it is measure required AZ
well for the material protection as for the mora!
| elevation Of the community.